


Let’s say all the things (that we couldn’t before)

by Anonymous



Category: Men's Football RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Bernd is a cap, Boys Kissing, Getting Together, M/M, a school king and a looser, school football team, the summer before college
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-24
Updated: 2019-09-24
Packaged: 2020-10-27 09:49:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20758394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: The last summer before college. A pool party, Marc finally decided to tell Bernd about his feelings, because he has nothing to lose.





	Let’s say all the things (that we couldn’t before)

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve never thought I’d write something in English or something about Steno. But here it is
> 
> To my one and only football fangirl, who’s constantly having a crush on German goalkeepers

“Okay, tonight’s The Day X. We’re finally gonna see that Male-Barbie’s dollhouse on the inside,” a blonde freckled guy’s head has just popped out of nowhere right in front of Marc, coming out from the bathroom.

“If you tried to make me even more nervous, congrats! You’ve achieved your aim, man! And аjust so you know, “Male-Barbie” is Ken actually”.

To say Marc is freaking out would be a colossal understatement. He’s already taken shower twice and now is really considering to hide there from his how-can-I-even-stand-you best friend once again. But Marco Reus is not that easy to be fooled. 

“Enough okay? You’re like literally sparkling clean and I’m afraid your epidermis won’t make it through another water execution. Believe me, you don’t want to face Him THAT naked. Just pull your shit together. It’s the end of summer, not the end of your sexual life. But it can be the beginning of it,” Marco winks at ter Stegen and gets a pillow flying right into the face. Though he’s pretty much filled up with Marc’s unnecessary nervousness, this is something you have to deal with when your friend is madly in love with someone. So madly he can’t even look at his crush without the heartbeat raising and the hands shaking. As Marco believes, the only thing that can make this neurotic jelly-like something finally make a move is a life-or-death situation. A terrifying prospect of never meeting his crush again and doubting whether his feelings were mutual for the rest of his life was a perfect match.

“Gotcha…Would I say if only I could stop trembling for a sec and put on something more appropriate than just a towel. You’re not helping a bit, Blödmann!” is Marc screaming? Well maybe he is, but he’s in the middle of making a decision of his life. Just pay some respect here, okay!

“Well, let’s just put this beautiful clothes – which you’ve more likely chosen and prepared weeks before – on you and go. They say you shouldn’t get to a party too early, but you should get there before it ends”.

One pissed of Marco Reus after they finally get out of ter Stegen's house. Who knew keeping Marc going would be even harder than just making him leave the room?

Imagine the most popular guy in a school. Then make him a captain of a school’s football team. Then make him sexy af and just as a cherry on top add some insanely rich and easy-going parents. That’ll be exactly who Bernd Leno is. And as the coolest guy and a people person leaving for college in another city he couldn’t help but throw the last big party. It’s just that nobody actually has to know that it’s a goodbye party. Tonight his friends, palls and just schoolmates should only care about how they can get even wilder and make the best of this summer night, the pool and beer pong. Now Leno is staying just beside the swimming pool and seems not to notice how garland lights beautifully reflect in water and dance on his blonde hair, how many eyes are carefully watching him. And moreover he seems not to notice one particular pair of eyes, so desperately looking for his.

“So, gonna just stay here all night, aren’t we? Hoping some fairy godmother will come and save you with a wave of her magic wand?” it’s been an hour since they finally got here and 40 minutes since Marc’s found his inner power to cross the threshold of Leno’s house. But it happened to last only till they got to the pool and came across the man of the hour. And now Marco is using all his ultimate orator skills to make ter Stegen stop being a living statue. “You won’t move until you actually move, you know? Come on, you can’t just stay here and stare! Just act, for god’s sake!”

“What should I do, Marco? What can I do? Just go and talk to him? What if he doesn’t recognise me? What if I say something stupid?..”

“If? Pretty sure you will say lots of «something stupid». But that’s okay, that’s something idiots in love are making. Talking rubbish, blushing and not being able to put 2 words together. Just try to play it cool okay?” It’s not like Marco is much more experienced in love stuff, but he has to say something to calm his friend down.

“Come on, go get him, tiger! By the way I have my own things to do while this party is still on”.

“You meant ‘your own guy to do’?” Marc has known about this mysterious stranger captured Reus’s mind (and heart) for a while. But unlike him Marco prefers to keep things quiet until he’s really sure a person’s worth talking about with his best friend about.

“Better save that sharp tongue for your date, ter Stegen,” making jokes is a good sign as Marco considers.

“Argh, just leave already!”

“I will, but first let me bring you something that will help you with decisions tonight – good old beer, or as I call it liquid bravery!”

Two beers with Marco after Marc is staying alone in a living room full of people. Some of them he knows, others – see for the first time. But there is only one person who is the reason of Marc being here. It has been him for the last 5 years and it has always been him: the boy with sunny hair and a sunny smile who helped him when Marc’d just changed school; the boy who’s never laughed at anybody and has never been mean or something; the boy who is just perfect. And now the boy stands at the other side of the room, chatting with his friends and smiling widely as always. 

Marc understands that his plan which is based only on these unreliable things as “Destiny” and “One True Love” is not going to work tonight. He perfectly gets that this smile shining brighter than all of the lights will never be meant _for_ him. That’s why he decides just to get drunk to try and get rid of these feeling which have been chasing him all these years. And for a person who’s never got drunk before Marc knows perfectly well what to do. 

Step one: have two or something beers with your friends (your friend, in this case). Step two: go and find a local beer pong champion and bet even on more beer that you’ll beat him. Then fail. Step three: challenge yourself with a beer-barrel. Congratulations, now you’re completely drunk!

After all these “tests” surprisingly for himself Marc can still think. And stand. Well, almost. But the only conscious thought he manage to catch is that he needs air. He goes straight – or at least it seems to him so – to the balcony. A pleasant silence comparing to a noisy as hell indoors envelops Marc’s head and fresh night air gets into his lungs. He finally can breathe and just leans on balcony fancing when the door behind slams letting in (or better say out) music, screams and something else. Someone else actually. Marc turns his head to the sound and can’t help but held his last breath.

“Hey, hope I’m not interrupting anything. Just needed to get out of there”.

Him. It is Him, Bernd Leno, who’s standing right in front of Marc’s shocked face. 

You have to say something! Come one! Just say something already, you idiot!

“Hey…” 

_You’re a genius, ter Stegen!_

“How do you like the party? Isn’t it too much?” Leno seems not to notice a strange tone or a frozen-like pose of the other guy. “I think this time everything’s finally come out just as planned”.

“Yeah, you’re perfect… I mean, the party’s perfect!” 

_Great! Keep drowning yourself…_

“Thanks, I guess”.

For a moment the only sound is the noise of the party coming from the inside.

“We were in the same class, didn’t we? Oh yeah, I totally remember you. Marc, right? So are you going to college this year? Don’t want to take a gap or something?” Leno is the first one to interrupt the silence and Marc just need some time to accept that not only Bernd Leno is talking to him, but also he actually remembers him.

“Hm, yeah, straight to college,”mumbles ter Stegen in response.

“Is it in the other city?”

“Well, yeah”.

“That means it’s your last summer in here?”

“Pretty much so”.

“Same for me”.

And here is silence again. Yes, Marc is moving to the other city, he’s entered the college he used to literally dream about, he is happy. Is he? He should be. But this night was going to be the one when his long-lasting one-sided love finally moved from the dead point right to “happy ever after”. And here he is standing right beside his crush, talking to him and being unable to confess. It is his last summer, probably his last chance to talk to Bernd, for God’s sake! What is he waiting for?

“You know, the last summer, the last chances, nothing to loose actually,” when Marc starts to speak it’s hard to say who is more surprised: Bernd or himself.

“And what were you afraid to loose?”

Marc doesn’t know what to say and he has no time to think when suddenly his body (encouraged by alcohol or is it just him releasing the brake?) leans towards the other guy and his lips brushes at Leno’s. At first Bernd seems to be caught off guard: his eyes open widely and he makes that strange half-muted half-moan. But the next moment, when Marc is ready to step back and vanish into thin air as soon as possible – the next moment Bernd is kissing him back not even letting ter Stegen to think or take a breath. They’re kissing. They really are. Bernd Leno is kissing Marc with his perfect lips and it’s Bernd Leno’s perfect body which is pressing against Marc’s so passionately and pleadingly, that Marc’s head starts to spin. Or maybe the reason is he’s not taken a breath in for several last minutes. If it’s a dream then Marc doesn’t want to wake up. Like ever.

***

If somebody asked him how they happened to get to his bedroom, Bernd would hardly be able to answer. One thing he remembers is this guy, Marc, kissing him all of a sudden, and the next moment they just can’t get away from each other. Bernd is not quite sure how they’ve got through the corridors full of drunk and dancing people. Bernd is not quite sure how they’ve found themselves half-naked, pressing against each other’s chests and loosing their breaths. Bernd is not quite sure what’s going to happen next.

“Hey, you…” he says breathing sharply, finally trying to calm his heart down. “Before it goes somewhere else I just want to ask you something”.

Okay, talking is not what Marc really wants to do now. His body is overwhelmed with desire and his fogged mind is not so good at being in charge right now. So the only response he’s capable of is just a nod.

“Remember we were talking about the last summer and stuff? Well, I don’t know how you feel about what we’re doing right now”.

_Oh, and I can feel how you _feel_ about what we’re doing_, this thought flashes so fast through Marc’s mind he can barely think it.

“But I… I’m not up to anything more serious than a fling. And if it’s not the same for you, I guess we should just stop right here,” while saying this Bernd looks away, trying to avoid ter Stegen’s eyes. For someone so perfect he definitely doesn’t know when it’s a perfect time to shut up. “I just don’t want to hurt you…”

Is Marc ready to call it a fling? To be honest, right now he’s ready to call it whatever Bernd wants, he doesn’t care about anything but here and now. 

“Oh, shut up, you, and let’s just get hurt tonight,” whispers he right in Bernd’s ear. He is so close Marc can actually feel the heat of his body getting under his skin, crawling right into his heart. If love is pain then Marc’s going to feel it to the core.

Was it really his “speech” or just his hands traveling all over Bernd’s body, but Marc’s finally managed to make Leno stop talking and put all of distracting thoughts away. The only thing Marc wants Bernd to feel now is his lips going down Bernd’s neck, his tongue against Bernd’s pulsing vein, his fingers slightly scratching near the waistband of Bernd’s jeans, asking for more.

Bernd gives up. He cannot be responsible for anything anymore. He’s just falling into it, into this guy under him, into his kisses and touches, into his heated body and messed-up hair. Messed up. This is exactly how Bernd feels. Totally and fully messed up. But probably for the first time ever he doesn’t give a shit about it. He just pulls Marc closer, grabs him tighter and dissolves in him.

They’re falling on Bernd’s bed, party music is hardly reaching them now and the only thing they can really feel is their breaths against each other’s necks. Leno pulls away from Marc’s lips, but just to leave a track of small hot kisses right down his chest the other sec. When he suddenly hits the sensible tip near the collarbone, Marc tries to choke up his moan and arches his back, leaning even closer to Bernd. Leno is about to say something like “Don’t hold it in”, but before he does he hears Marc’s voice, deep and hoarse, full of desire.

“I’ll hit the lights and you lock the door…”

The second after they’re already back in each other’s arms, kissing even more passionate, being so close there is no space left between their bodies. They both are craving for more. Marc is longing to feel Bernd’s bare skin against his. He’s trying to undone Leno’s belt, but his hands are shaking. Maybe because of impatience or maybe – just the slightest possibility – it’s because he’s about to be as close to Bernd Leno, his school love (his only love) as he could never even imagine. Suddenly he feels Bernd’s hands just on his own and looks up at him with half-scared half-embarrassed expression on the face. The shadow of real fear runs over Marc’s face. What if Leno’s changed his mind? What if he’s finally seen Marc for who he really is and he just wants him to leave?..

Fortunately the guy has no time to properly wind himself up. The next moment Bernd puts his face so damn close to his and whispers (for no objective reason) right into Marc’s lips.

“Shh, just come here”.

That was the moment Marc lost it once and for all. Lost himself in Bernd Leno.

***

The first sun beam penetrates the window and slightly tickles Marc’s nose. His head is a bit dizzy and the sun is too bright in Marc’s humble opinion. He winces and pull the blanket over his head, trying to fall asleep again. But then the events of previous night begin to pop up in his mind. Marco and him came to Bernd Leno’s party, Marc (as always) just couldn’t put his shit together and finally talk to his crush, then he decided to drink that all away, and then… 

And then Marc remembers. Remembers where he is, with whom he is.

Ter Stegen rapidly sits on the bed and opens his eyes wide. The head starts spin a bit, but surprisingly to him there is nobody else in the room. He puts a hand on the pillow beside him – it feels cold. A strange and unpleasant little something starts to scratch inside Marc’s chest. No matter how much he wants to stay in bed, one essential element of this perfect morning is missing and he just can’t help but go and find him.

Marc can’t find any of his clothes, so he decides to put on the first other thing he finds, which happens to be Leno’s football jersey with a bright number one on it. The guy hesitates for a moment and then dares himself to come out of the room. In the corridors he can see the signs of yesterday party, but not a living soul. Then he comes downstairs and suddenly runs into a man.

“Hey you, watch your step!” the man happens to be Daniel Leno, the elder brother of Bernd. To be honest, if Marc hasn’t been crushing on Bernd for all this years and – well, let’s accept it – stalking him a bit, he’d never guess that this dark-haired brown-eyed guy is Bernd’s relative, not even talking about “brother”.

“Sorry, Daniel, just was looking for Bernd. Have you seen him?”

Okay, Marc hasn’t expected that from himself. What was in beer the other night? Felix Felicis? Anyway, even if Leno Senior is surprised by a random boy popping out of nowhere right in his house and knowing his name, he doesn’t show that.

“Well, from what I know he was supposed to catch the train to Hamburg about half an hour ago. So…” Dan doesn’t know what to add and it’s not like he really wants to. So the best decision he’s come up with is just to get out of the sight.

And Marc, it seems like his whole mind is refusing to accept the information: the monotonous sound of his own heartbeat gets so loud and he feels the treacherous lump in his throat. It’s not like he was hoping for something: Bernd was pretty clear about his intentions last night. But still Marc thought they could at least have a nice and cozy morning together and a romantic (even in tiniest) goodbye kiss, which he could recollect for the rest of his summer (life). 

And here he is now – standing alone in someone else’s sitting room, almost ready to burst into tears or hysterical laugh. Marc thinks that staying here is a totally bad idea and decides to leave as soon as possible. But first he has to get rid of this damn t-shirt.

“Oh, you can keep it. You know, I have plenty of those and this one really suits your eyes”.

Hearing that voice, Marc is kind of afraid to turn his head towards it, when he feels the hands on his waist and a warm whisper, tickling his ear.

“You really thought you could leave without saying goodbye? You aren’t English, aren’t you?”


End file.
